Structural support apparatus

ABSTRACT

This invention is for a novel means of structural support for buildings and the like and is especially adapted for supporting a structure for feeding and maintaining animals in a confined environment. The invention utilizes structural members which also serve as dividers between the useful floor area of the structure. The floor of the structure is mounted below the structural members rather than being mounted on the top as is traditional. The arrangement provides that a single structural member will serve as a divider, an increased load support, and a shield for the connecting means. The connecting means are such as to allow rapid assembly in sections or modules and rapid disassembly as well.

Blair 11] 3,815,548 June 11, 1974 STRUCTURAL SUPPORT APPARATUS [75] V Inventor: Bruce A. Blair, Streator, 111.

[73] Assignee: International Farm Systems Inc.,

Streator, Ill.

22 Filed: .lan.10,l972

21 Appl. No.: 216,567

[52] US. Cl. 119/16 [51] Int. Cl A0lk 01/00 [58] Field of Search 119/16, 20, 28

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 1,159,744 11/1915 Caldwell 119/16 1,593,015 7/1926 Bussey ..119/16 2,928,371 3/1960 Baker 119/20 3,105,462 ,10/1963. Miller 119/20 3,181,503 5/1965 Tripp 1 119/28 X 3,209,728 10/1965 Beckers '1 19/20 3,283,744 11/1966 Conover .Q 119/16 Primary Examiner-James 1-1. Czerwonky Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Kenyon & Kenyon Reilly Carr & Chapin [5 7] ABSTRACT This invention is for a novel means of structural support for buildings and the like and is especially adapted for supporting a structure for feeding and maintaining animals in a confined environment.

The invention utilizes structural members which also serve as dividers between the useful floor area of the structure. The floor of the structure is mounted below the structural members rather than being mounted on the top as is traditional. The arrangement provides that a single structural member will serve as a divider, an increased load support, and a shield for the connecting means. The connecting means are such as to allow rapid assembly in sections or modules and rapiddisassembly as well.

I 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUM 1 1 m4 3315548 SHEEI 5 0F 5 STRUCTURAL SUPPORT APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF TI-IE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates in general'to apparatus for constructing buildings and enclosed areas in a novel manner, and more specifically, it relates to apparatus for attaching flooring to a structural member in such a way that the structural member carries a load above that it could carry when loaded in a conventional, nonlaterally supported manner, acts as a divider between the usable floor areas of thestructure, and acts to insure against corrosion of the means connecting the structural members together. The apparatus is adapted to be easily preassembled in sections or modules.

' 2. Description of the Prior Art Buildings are normally constructed with vertical support members or columns mounted in a foundation with horizontal beams mounted thereon. Joists are then layed at right angles on top of the beams and flooring is placed above the joists. Dividers for the working or living area are then mounted on top of the floors. When completed, the structural load-bearing beam is completely enclosed and below the floor area. In this conventional means of construction, different members are used for the beam and for the divider or wall member.

maintaining andfeeding animals in a confined environment. The structure there is a flexible hemispherical shaped structure which encloses a multi-tiered animal housing and confinement structure. Each tier is partitioned into a number of individual animal confinement pens for the raising of livestock, such as swine. Vertical support members extend upwardly through the various tiers to which are attached horizontal cross-brace members. The floor of each tier is placed on top of the cross-brace members. Mounted above the floor are sides which form each pen enclosure. It can be seen that in this arrangement different members are used to separate the pens and as the support members.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is for apparatus for constructing buildmgs.

Columns are first placed in an upright position on the foundation. Horizontal support members such as beams are then attached to the columns. Cross-brace members suchas T-beams are hung from the bottom of the support members by easily assembled and disassembled means. Flooring is then mounted on the crossbrace members so that it is intermediate between the support members and the cross-brace members. In this position, the support member can handle an increased load since the beam has greater buckling strength when loaded from the bottom then when loaded from the top, it acts as a divider to divide the useful floor area of the "structure, and it shields the connecting means from the surrounding environment.

Thevarious parts of the'structure are assembledvin such a' way, by bolts and welding for example, that portions of the structure may be largely preassembled in sections, such as in a modular fashion, and can be likewise rapidly disassembled for reassembly at some distant location. Use of the structural member as a divider and shield is especially useful in areas which are to be used for the breeding of animals since only a low divider is necessary or desirable and since manure and urine would rapidly corrode the fastening means'holding the structure together.

It can be seen that this invention provides structural support apparatus which is relatively simple and may be preassembled in sections, yet which provides a strong, integrated'and useful structure whenassembled. By the use of the support-member as a divider, the necessity for providing two members to perform two functions is eliminated, thereby reducing the overall cost of the structure. The manner in which the support member covers and protects the area where the various pieces are joined'together also facilitates the rapid and easy "disassembly or repair of the structure and keeps the structure clean and sanitary.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a novel support apparatus which may be used in assembling building-structures in a cheap and efficient, yet structurally sound and strong manner.

It is another primary object of this invention to provide an assembly in which. the support-member acts both in a supporting capacity and aspace-dividing capacity so that one member performs at least two functions. It is another object of this invention to provide means whereby the area in which the structure is joined together is protected from thesurrounding environment.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a structure which is simple, strong and may be easily'and rapidly assembled and disassembled.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a system which may be preassembled in sections in a modular or sectional fashion and disassembled in the same manner for transport and reassembly at a distant point.

' BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a vertical section of a structure assembled according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlargement of a portion of the structure DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment will be described below wherein a structure is built with steel structural members according to-the present invention. It is to be noted that various modif cations can be made to this embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims of this application and that other material such as wood, other metals, etc.

may be used. Also, although the description is directed An enclosure for feeding and maintaining animals in a confined environment is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. This structure is described in detail in the patent application copending herewith, Ser'. No. 879,194 filed Nov. 24, 1969, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,633,547, issued. Jan. 11, 1972, entitled SYSTEM FOR FEEDING AND MAIN- TAINING ANIMALS IN A CONFINED ENVIRON- MENT and also in the continuation-impart thereof, Ser. No. 2l6,382, filed contemporaneously herewith bearing the same title. As a brief summary, necessarily much simplified, the structure has a plurality of hers shown generally at 13 for maintaining and feeding animals such as swine. The floors of each pen are of an open-grill work, shown generally at 14 on the various figures, which allow a controlled flow of ambient ventilating air to flow upwardly through the pens and into the next higher pens. The animals waste products are allowed to fall through the open-grill work floors and are collected below the lowest tierat an area shown generallyat 15. The collected excrement is flushed to a central collecting trough where it is processed by promoting a bacterial and fungi action to convert the animal waste into a usable protein supplement which is added to the animals food supply. The apparatus for the processing can be housed in a convenient area, such as area 16 in FIG. 1. This food supply, e.g., a slurry mixture of beanand/or cornmeal and the protein supplementis pumped to the various troughs'adjacent each of the animal confinement pens, shown as 27, where it is made continuously available to the animals.

The dome-shaped covering above the tier structure includes a ventilation system which automatically maintains. proper temperature and humidity levels within the enclosure at all times and provides the proper air flowing within the enclosure so that each pen on each tier is properly ventilated at all times. The open space l7 in the center of the structure is used for an elevator shaft for moving the animals into and out of the pens and to transport men and supplies up and down.

Vertical columns extend upwardly from the foundation of the structure. Support members 18, such as I-beams, are attached to the vertical columns 10 by conventional means. Cross-brace members, such as T- bars 19, are attached to support members 18 at generally right angles thereto'in a manner described in detail below. Rigidly attached to the top of the support members 18 are fence members 20. These provide, in conjunction with the support members, a dividing area between the various pens in which the animals are kept. Fence member 20 keeps the animals in one pen from climbing over the lower support member 18 into the adjoining pen. The floors 14 of the pen are attached intermediate support members 18 and cross-members 19. r

The manner in which the'support members 18, the

cross-brace members 19, floor'me'mbers 14 and fence members 20 are'interconnected is shown in detail in FIGS. 5 and 6. It should be understood at this point that much of this assembly can be done on the ground and the materials merely lifted up to the desired tier and setinto place in a modular or sectional type fashion.

The radius of the specific structure shown in FIG. 1

.is approximately 43 feet from'its center line to the outside of the supporting structure. This distance could-be spanned with four support members 18, as shown in FIG. 1. For member 18, a 12 inch l-beam of A 36 steel weighing 22 pounds per linear foot could be used. Along the length of the bottom of member 18 is welded a bar 21, which may be of three-quarter inch stock. Similarly, bar stock 24 is welded adjacent bar 21 along the length of member 18 for added strength, if desired.

T-bar 19 by standard fastening devices, such as .1 bolts Bar stock 22, also of three-quarter inchthickness, is welded to the ends of each T-bar l9. Either on the ground or above ground as the structure is being built, the T-beams 19 are attached to the I-beams. 18 by being bolted through the members 21 and 22 with threequarter inch bolts 23. Bolts 23 allow speedy assembly and disassembly so that the structure may be assembled in sections and be rapidly disassembled and moved to a distant area, if desired. The T-beams 19 for this structure could be 9 inch beams, weighing approximately l7.5;pounds per linear foot to 6 inch beams weighing approximately ll pounds per linear foot.

Open-grill work floors 14 of expanded metal rest on the'upper edges of T-bar 19. They are attached to the or welds, as generally shown at 25. There would be approximately four I bolts per each side of a floor section, although more or less could be used if desired. As can be seen in FIG. 5, floor section 14 does not extend far enough to entirely close the gap under the I-beam 18. This space must be allowed for mill tolerances, which are considerable. Likewise the holes bored in members 21 and 22 to receive bolts 23 must be provided for a loose fit for tolerance problems. Members 26 are metal stiffeners welded to the bottom of floors 14 so that the floors do not sag under the weight of the animals. These members may be of any convenient size and material and are allowed to hang freely beneath the floor or the ber 20. A standard No. 6 reinforcing bar bent as shown may beused for this purpose. The overall height from the bottom of the I-beam 18 to the top of the fence member 20 is approximately 2 feet and this dimension is sufficient to restrain swine in the areas provided. Fence member 20 should be of the open lattice work type since swine are essentially very sociable animals and enjoy the company and companionship of other swine. Use of lattice work fences'allows'the swine to look at and converse with each other, while still restraining them and keeping them apart so they do not butt each other, steal other swines food or overload a particular pen. Any lattice work can be used which would perform these functions.

It can be seen that the arrangement described above utilizes the support member 18 in a much more efficient manner than is done in existing structures in that the member is a support, a divider and a shield. By loading the support from the bottom rather than the top, the buckling strength'which a beam of the type described above, 25 feet long, can carry-would be increased by approximately 100 percent The use of structural member 18 as a fence or divider between the pens as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, greatly reduces the cost of the structure, since it reduces the total amount of material needed. As a shield, member 18, as best shown in FIG. 5, protects the connecting mechanism, such as bolts 23 and 25 from the corroding action of the wastes from the animals in the pens, thus enabling the structure to be easily maintained 'or disassembled, if desired. This shielding effect also insures that there is no area of the structure to catch and allow accumulation of waste products falling through the open-grill work floor; In this way a clean, sanitary environment is maintained. The use of T-beams 19 rather than l-beams for instance also contributes to this effect.

What I claim is:

1. In a structure for feeding and maintaining animals in a confined environment, the improvement in the structural apparatus thereof which comprises:

a. horizontal support members connected with the vertical support members of the structure, said hor-' izontal support members being of sufficient height to serve as at least a portion of the partitions dividing up the useable space of the building;

b. fastening members suspended beneath and attached to the horizontal support members;

c. cross members attached to the fastening members;

d. plates attached to each end of each cross member;

e. means for mounting said plates to said fastening members in a manner so as to give a strong assembly which may also be easily disassembled if desired.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the floor is intermediate in position between the horizontal support members and the cross members and is attached to the cross members.

3. In a structure for feeding and maintaining animals in a confined environment, the improvement in the structural support. apparatus which comprises:

a. horizontal support members connected with the vertical support members of the structure; b. means suspended beneath the horizontal support members and attached thereto for supporting the floors of the structure; and

c. means attached to the top of the horizontal support in a confined environment, the improvement in the structural support apparatus thereof which comprises:

a. horizontal support members connected with'vertical support members of the structure;

b. cross members suspended beneath the horizonta support members;

c. fastening means extending beneath the horizontal support members and attached thereto for supporting the floors of the structure, each said means comprising a plate attached to the cross member, a member beneath and attached to the horizontal support member, and means formounting the plate to the cross members in a manner so as to give a strong assembly which may also be easily disassembled if desired; and g (1. wherein the horizontal support member is positioned above the fastening means and is of such a width as to cover said means so as to protect said means from the corroding effects of the wastes of animals and keep the structure clean.

5. In a structure for feeding and maintaining animals in a confined environment, the improvement in the structural support apparatus thereof which comprises:

a. horizontal support members connected with the vertical support members of the structure;

b. means suspended below the horizontal support members for supporting the floor of the structure and affixed to the horizontal support member by appropriate fastening means so as to give a strong assembly which may also be easily disassembled, if desired; and

. wherein the horizontal support members are positioned above thefastening means and are of such a width as to cover said fastening means to protect said fastening means from the corroding effects of the wastes of animals and keep the structure clean.

6. Structural support apparatus for buildings comprising:

a. horizontal support members connected with the vertical support members of the structure, said horizontal support members being of sufficient height to serve as at least a portion of the partitions dividing up the useable space of the building;

b. fastening members suspended beneath and attached to the horizontal support members;

c. cross members attached to the fastening members;

d. plates attached to each end of each cross member;

e. means for mounting said plates to said fastening members in a manner so as to give a strong assembly which may also be easily disassembled if desired. 

1. In a structure for feeding and maintaining animals in a confined environment, the improvement in the structural apparatus thereof which comprises: a. horizontal support members connected with the vertical sUpport members of the structure, said horizontal support members being of sufficient height to serve as at least a portion of the partitions dividing up the useable space of the building; b. fastening members suspended beneath and attached to the horizontal support members; c. cross members attached to the fastening members; d. plates attached to each end of each cross member; e. means for mounting said plates to said fastening members in a manner so as to give a strong assembly which may also be easily disassembled if desired.
 2. A structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the floor is intermediate in position between the horizontal support members and the cross members and is attached to the cross members.
 3. In a structure for feeding and maintaining animals in a confined environment, the improvement in the structural support apparatus which comprises: a. horizontal support members connected with the vertical support members of the structure; b. means suspended beneath the horizontal support members and attached thereto for supporting the floors of the structure; and c. means attached to the top of the horizontal support members to restrain the animals from climbing over the horizontal support members while at the same time allowing animals on the opposite sides of a particular horizontal support member to see each other.
 4. In a structure for feeding and maintaining animals in a confined environment, the improvement in the structural support apparatus thereof which comprises: a. horizontal support members connected with vertical support members of the structure; b. cross members suspended beneath the horizontal support members; c. fastening means extending beneath the horizontal support members and attached thereto for supporting the floors of the structure, each said means comprising a plate attached to the cross member, a member beneath and attached to the horizontal support member, and means for mounting the plate to the cross members in a manner so as to give a strong assembly which may also be easily disassembled if desired; and d. wherein the horizontal support member is positioned above the fastening means and is of such a width as to cover said means so as to protect said means from the corroding effects of the wastes of animals and keep the structure clean.
 5. In a structure for feeding and maintaining animals in a confined environment, the improvement in the structural support apparatus thereof which comprises: a. horizontal support members connected with the vertical support members of the structure; b. means suspended below the horizontal support members for supporting the floor of the structure and affixed to the horizontal support member by appropriate fastening means so as to give a strong assembly which may also be easily disassembled, if desired; and c. wherein the horizontal support members are positioned above the fastening means and are of such a width as to cover said fastening means to protect said fastening means from the corroding effects of the wastes of animals and keep the structure clean.
 6. Structural support apparatus for buildings comprising: a. horizontal support members connected with the vertical support members of the structure, said horizontal support members being of sufficient height to serve as at least a portion of the partitions dividing up the useable space of the building; b. fastening members suspended beneath and attached to the horizontal support members; c. cross members attached to the fastening members; d. plates attached to each end of each cross member; e. means for mounting said plates to said fastening members in a manner so as to give a strong assembly which may also be easily disassembled if desired. 